Mother and Gran Cry as Girl Tells of A[euro][approximately]touching'; Man Pleads Not Guilty to Rape

Article excerpt

A GIRL says she was dragged under her house from the backyard and into a room for sex by a man boarding at her home, a court heard yesterday.

The girl said she called out for him to stop and put up a struggle.

Speaking on a video tape recorded when she was being cross-examined by the accused's legal representative, she said it had been one of a number of incidents when she struggled to defend herself and told him to stop.

The man, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of rape and one of indecent treatment.

He has pleaded guilty to a charge of maintaining a sexual relationship with a minor.

He had been living with the family at two homes in the Rockhampton area at the time of the alleged offences.

The allegations stem from a statement the girl made to police in July 2008, in which she spoke of the alleged incidents.

A video recording of the girl being cross-examined by defence barrister Ross Lo Monaco was shown to the jury on day two of the trial yesterday. …